Who left their last words here?

Chapter 115 Glory and Blasphemy; Re-entering the Realm of Reflections! (Two-in-One)

"Isn't it said that people on Earth love gold and luxury goods? Turns out there are things you can't buy with gold."

Sitting atop the humming outdoor air conditioner unit, Bai Zhou, holding an umbrella in the rainy night, casually complained:
"They can't even rent a house. No wonder they found that the gold nugget from Earth in the city can only be exchanged for a bowl of braised pork."

"...That's not actually the case."

The crow remained silent for a moment with a strange expression:
"Is it possible that you gave her too much and scared her away?"

"It's not a chaotic world of war now. At least in Tinghai, there's no custom of trading directly with gold. Everyone uses Federal Currency for transactions."

"Federal currency?" Bai Zhou curled his lip.
"Cash, right? It's not that I don't want to give it, but I myself think it looks rather suspicious to just pull out gold and a watch... but just thinking about it makes me feel annoyed."

As he spoke, he pulled a wad of crumpled banknotes from his pocket:
“Those pursuers had guns, knives, luxury goods, and even gold bars on them, but very few of them carried cash.”

“Because everyone is used to using mobile digital payments.” Raven answered without hesitation, “...that ‘forbidden item’ you saw in Night City before.”

"cell phone?"

Bai Zhou blinked, then reached into his pocket and quickly pulled out... a long string of cell phones!
These are even brand names, some with a bitten pineapple engraved on them, others with labels that say "Supreme Huami Special Edition".

"this?"

These phones were tied together with ropes; at a glance, there were probably more than thirty of them, enough to be sold at a second-hand market.

However, Bai Zhou was suspicious of this. How could a thin piece of glass be more effective than a gold brick?
"No, not this kind of phone..."

The crow fell silent.

As the saying goes, "It takes ten years to grow a tree, but a hundred years to cultivate a person." Educating and reforming Bai Zhou's common sense is indeed a long and arduous task. Otherwise, who knows what shocking things he might do in the future.

And why are you carrying so many phones around! Some of them even have bloodstains on them; if you take them to a secondhand market, you'll definitely get arrested on the spot by security guards.

"Besides being a gold-digging thief, you're also a cell phone thief? Bai Zhou, you're really starting to look more and more like an outlaw."

Thank goodness I didn't take these out earlier, otherwise I'm afraid Xiao Fang would have fainted on the spot...

The crow pursed its lips and shook its head, seemingly with some regret:
"I never imagined I would produce such a student. Back then, I was..."

He stopped mid-sentence and lowered his eyes.

But this only piqued Bai Zhou's curiosity:

"What did Teacher Ya do before?"

"Why are you bringing me up? You're the one who looks more like a seasoned fugitive, incredibly experienced."

Bai Zhou complained, but Ya, who was sitting next to him, did not give a reply.

The air conditioner unit under my bottom creaked and vibrated, while above my head, a white boat held up a small umbrella.

The pattering raindrops pounded against the dark umbrella, and the drizzling rain reflected the distant neon lights. Bai Zhou and Ya sat side by side on the air conditioner unit, gazing at the city until the dark clouds dispersed and the dawn broke.

The experiences he had just gone through made Bai Zhou realize that this was not Wancheng after all. Blue Star was vast and Tinghai was bustling. Although some people had told him to come home, there was no place in this city that was truly his home.

He was a lawless outlaw who caused headaches for the authorities and left the major helpless, but no matter how many great things he did, he would still return to the buzzing and vibrating air conditioner unit in the dead of night, exhausted, to watch the storm rage.

Indeed, the loyal outdoor unit of the air conditioner is Bai Zhou's eternal home...

The rainy night in the early morning was cold, and the damp chill seemed to penetrate to the bone. Homeless animals would instinctively huddle together.

Just like now, Bai Zhou and Ya's shoulders were very close, so close that the scent of burnt coffee mixed with the sweet aroma of oranges emanating from the girl was so intense that it was constantly tantalizing Bai Zhou's nostrils.

The night was deep and the air was cold, but the presence of crows made Bai Zhou feel warm all over, as if he were holding a small stove in his arms.

Therefore, Bai Zhou felt that his feelings were somewhat contradictory, sometimes feeling lonely and sometimes feeling at ease, and there might be an important variable in between.

The rainy night by the sea was cold, but with crows around, it wasn't cold.

However, that's what I mean...

Looking at Bai Zhou, whose back and thighs were completely exposed to the wind, and who seemed to be trembling as he sat high up with his arms wrapped around himself, Ya blinked and couldn't help but speak up:

“The trench coat uses recycled materials and will heal itself if damaged, it just takes some time… but you can speed up the process by infusing it with spirituality.”

As he spoke, Ya casually patted Bai Zhou's shoulder, and a warm current suddenly surged forth, as if a flame had been ignited within Bai Zhou's body, completely dispelling all the cold.

"So it can still be like this."

Bai Zhou suddenly realized something and immediately infused his tattered trench coat with spiritual energy.

"Buzz!"

On the pitch-black fabric, visible threads began to spread, and the hem of the trench coat under repair was blown up by the wind, blending into the swaying night.

"Speaking of which, was that little girl you were talking about earlier the real Fang Xiaoyan?"

The crow suddenly asked about the white boat.

Heaven knows how much she sighed and hesitated to speak when Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia were having that off-key conversation.

However, she also noticed that Bai Zhou and Fang Xiaoxia seemed to have an unusual and unknown familiarity between them.

When did Bai Zhou acquire this little secret?
While she was asleep...

"Yes, that's her."

Bai Zhou nodded, and when he turned to look, he met Ya's ambiguous smile, which seemed to hold a deeper meaning.

"It seems...there's more to it than that?"

Crow's words were light and airy, carrying a hint of casual inquiry.

But it's rather shameful to say that an injured stray cat was picked up by a girl.

So Bai Zhou just chuckled twice and casually changed the subject:
"By the way, Crow, there's something I want to ask you."

Under the pattering umbrella, Bai Zhou's expression suddenly turned serious.

"what?"

"Have you ever heard of... the 'Radiant Path' and the 'Blasphemy Path'?"

"A means of blasphemy?"

Upon hearing this, Ya suddenly fell into an unusual silence, his expression slowly turning solemn, as if he had heard something extraordinary from Bai Zhou.

After a while, she asked again:
"Who told you all this?"

"It seems you know!"

Upon hearing this, Bai Zhou's eyes lit up, and he then gave a general description of the mysterious spell he received when he accepted the Moon Wolf Totem.

After listening quietly, Crow shook his head thoughtfully, his tone somewhat helpless:
“Originally… this is not the kind of ‘knowledge’ you should be exposed to right now.”

"But since you've come across this, I'll give you a brief overview."

The sound paused briefly, and the crow gazed into the distance, looking towards the city.
"Do you remember what I mentioned before, the Twelve Destiny Paths that transcend all other 'miscellaneous paths' such as the Painter and the Mechanical Walker?"

"In fact, the so-called Twelve Destiny Paths are the twelve strongest and most complete extraordinary paths left behind by previous civilizations, which were gradually excavated and sorted out by the extraordinary individuals of the current civilization during the long period of 'Great Discovery of the Ruins Realm'."

"Although they were gradually lost or incomplete over time, they are still recognized today as the most uncontrollable, highest-potential, and most mysterious extraordinary methods."

"My [Hunter] path and your [Adventurer] path are both included here."

"However, at that time—during the period of the 'Great Discovery of Ruins,' there were not only 12 such methods that people used to excavate and organize."

"—It's 24!"

24 Paths to Destiny!

Upon hearing this, Bai Zhou perked up and held his breath to listen attentively.

"The twelve paths of destiny should actually be twenty-four paths of destiny."

Crow then said in a cold voice:

"The current Twelve Paths of Destiny were apparently called the Path of Glory back then... while there were also twelve other Paths of Destiny, which were then called the Path of Blasphemy!"

“Every destiny path corresponding to a person’s fate should have two paths: one is the path of glory, and the other is the path of blasphemy.”

As he spoke, the crow slowly shook its head uncertainly:

"I'm not entirely clear on the specific differences between them."

"But what is certain is that an extraordinary event must have occurred in the middle for these twelve Paths of Blasphemy to be erased from the annals of history by the extraordinary beings!"

"To this day, people have never heard of the name of the path of blasphemy, let alone know what path it contains."

"Even I only learned about this in history by chance."

"Names and meanings hold extraordinary significance in mysticism, while the path of blasphemy..."

"Just by looking at the names, you can tell these paths are probably quite chaotic, linked to unimaginable calamities and misfortunes!" Before the words had even finished, Raven had already looked at White Boat, his deep voice issuing a serious warning:
"So, forget about that spell, at least don't think about it anymore."

"If you need, I can teach you a ritual to temporarily seal your own memories."

"Among the sealed documents recording this secret, there is a note written by a senior extraordinary individual, in which he said..."

The mournful cry of a crow echoed in the white boat's ears:

Blasphemy is the incitement of inhuman desires deeper than the depths of one's heart; depravity is becoming the ugliest version of oneself.

Humanity is merely a sketch, neither glorious nor blasphemous.

"..."

Listening to the crow's cold voice, Bai Zhou blinked twice.

After thinking for a moment, he shook his head:

"Can't understand."

"It's ok."

The crow, however, didn't seem to care much, and even nodded seriously:

"After all, I can't understand it either."

"—However, Shiraishu."

Crow turned its head and met Bai Zhou's eyes, its meaningful gaze carrying a hint of inquiry.

What is your deepest desire?

Even the path of blasphemy has revealed some clues; it seems that Bai Zhou's life is walking a tightrope that is even more dangerous than Ya had imagined.

Is he aware of this? What exactly is he carrying on his shoulders?
As the crow looked into the boy's eyes, the boy's clear eyes reflected the neon lights of the rainy night, like a quiet lake after the rain.

However, no one knows the true depth of this lake that has never rippled, and no one knows what lies beneath it...

Does it harbor a monster so powerful that even a slight turn of its head could cause an earthquake?

"But what's even deeper than the heart? Isn't that the stomach?"

Bai Zhou blinked and couldn't help but complain aloud:

"It's getting cold, shall we go get some xiaolongbao for breakfast?"

crow:"……"

Ok.

There's no lake monster hiding at the bottom of the lake.

Just like when she stood on the shore and watched for a long time, she finally saw ripples spreading across the lake, and amidst the surging, powerful waves, what emerged from the water and came into view was...

A cute little yellow duck?!

What the future holds for Bai Zhou is something no one at this moment can know.

To this unfamiliar world, Bai Zhou is merely an inexperienced adventurer who has just left the beginner village... Whether he becomes a monster or a hero is up to him, and also depends on how the world influences him.

"But don't worry, I never intended to use that spell in the first place. Now that you've said that, I'm even less likely to touch it."

Bai Zhou indicated to Ya that there was no need to worry too much.

The only thing Shirazuki needs to worry about is caution.

He cherished his life more than anyone else, because if even he didn't cherish it, then no one else would care about it...

The rain fell all night, and fallen leaves piled up along the chilly autumn streets.

It is said that each autumn rain brings a chill, and after each continuous drizzle, many yellowing leaves are taken away until the branches are bare.

The first light of dawn broke, and the sky began to clear.

After changing his clothes, Bai Zhou was able to eat the same xiaolongbao and spicy tofu pudding at the same shop as before.

Then he stopped doing anything and went into seclusion to conserve his energy.

As darkness fell again and the trench coat was almost fully healed, Bai Zhou, who was sitting on the air conditioner unit on the 23rd floor, opened his eyes.

"Buzz!"

The air seemed to vibrate!

As Bai Zhou opened his eyes, a wisp of translucent white light shimmered and danced in the air, disappearing in an instant like a flash of lightning.

Water overflows when the vessel is full, and air escapes when the vessel is full.

Bai Zhou's condition returned to its peak at this moment.

With a few swift movements, Bai Zhou stood up, put his black trench coat back on, and slowly emerged from his sleeves with both hands.

With her clothes fluttering in the wind, Bai Zhou slowly put on a silver necklace and specially made gold-rimmed glasses, followed by a wristwatch, and then carefully put away her saber, revolver, short stick, and the Dead Sea Scrolls...

Everything was proceeding smoothly, and Bai Zhou successfully demonstrated to Ya what it meant to be armed to the teeth!
Now that we are fully armed, let's prepare for battle!

23 PM arrived quickly, and Bai Zhou was waiting in the wilderness.

"Buzz!"

Having confirmed that the possible compass positioning was complete, Bai Zhou immediately and quietly left. After walking three streets, he turned into an alley and once again transformed into the [Life-Stealing Cat].

"Swish!"

In the deep darkness, a black cat with gleaming, cold eyes moved with elegant yet swift steps, quietly disappearing along the hidden nooks and crannies.

Bai Zhou had no interest in dealing with the pursuers the major might send, but he guessed the major was probably too preoccupied with him to care right now.

Tonight, they all share an even more important common goal...

"Didi! Didi! Didi!"

The alarm clock on the wristwatch rang, displaying the number 24:00.

At the same time, the long-awaited ceremony was successfully launched on the rooftop of the high-rise building.

"Buzz!"

"Bon Voyage."

The crows' farewell still echoed in his ears, but the scene before Bai Zhou's eyes had already changed—

A bizarre city came into view, with the shadows of dark buildings cast menacing patterns on the ground, and the surrounding streets were eerily deserted.

The lush green trash cans stand silently by the roadside, waiting for their prey to approach; a thin, upright black shadow stands stiffly under the dim old street lamp.

"came back."

Bai Zhou subconsciously touched the bulge at his waist, his fingertips tracing over the saber, short stick, and pistol, and immediately felt at ease.

One hundred and eight spiritual energy points are poised to be unleashed throughout the body, and the three secret marks imprinted on the destiny chart are even more eager to move.

Although only a few days have passed, Bai Zhou is completely different from the black cat who had to run away in a sorry state when passing by the school gate last time. This time, he has made tremendous progress!
"call……"

Bai Zhou let out a long breath, as if trying to dispel all the fatigue and tension in his chest.

Then, he turned around and performed a simple orientation ceremony before walking towards the location of Yuanmeng Middle School.

I imagine the entrance to that middle school is probably bustling with activity right now, crowded with attackers recruited at great expense by the disaster response investigation agency.

"How can we bypass the blockade and sneak in..."

Bai Zhou pursed his lips, pondering in his heart.

"Da da……"

Hurrying along, ignoring the traffic lights in the center of the road that always flash three colors simultaneously, the uncivilized outsider Bai Zhou crossed the road directly.

At that moment, Bai Zhou looked up, and out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the tall clock tower in the distance, a familiar landmark illuminated by the eerie blue flames—

"Listen to the sea, and you'll be ostracized!"

"Tsk."

Leaving behind a soft laugh, the figure in the black trench coat quietly blended into the night of the bizarre city.

—Thus, Bai Zhou, a level 3 adventurer, re-enters the Reflection Ruins.

A new adventure begins!

(End of this chapter)